Milking-machine.



P. F. KLEIN.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 7, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

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jn/for' 2 fad P. F. KLEIN. MILKING MACHINE. APPLIOATION III IED OUT. 7,1908.

Patented June 15,1909.

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I P. F. KLEIN.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001-. 7,v1a oa.-

925, 1 96. I Patent d .June 15, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

P. F. KLEIN. MILKING MACHIN'E. APPLIOATION FILED 00w. 7, 1eoa.

Patented June 15, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

P. P. KLEIN. MILKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 0017, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

PETER F. KLEIN, OF MARION, IOWA.

MILmNG-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, 1908. Serial No. 456,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER F. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marion, in the county 9f Linn andState of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce a milking machine soconstructed and arranged as to closely simulate the action of a milkmansfingers in hand milking, the Inward pressure on the cows teats beingapplied progressively from the udder downwardly, and with provision foradjustment so as to perform its operations rapidly, but withoutdiscomfort or injury to the cow.

The invention also contemplates a cleanly and sanitary handling of themilk in the act of milking, and other useful features, all of which willbe more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents the machine as in use and applied to a cow, one legof which is broken away, the better to show the apparatus. Fig. 2 is atop view, partly in section, showing the construction and arran ement ofthe fingers and connected mec anism. Fig. 3 is a view'of the same asseen from in front (the lower end of Fig. 2), ,parts being in section toshow clearly the driving mechanism and other apparatus. Fig. 4 is asection of the same, taken on the line b b, but inverted. Fig. 5represent-s a rubber glove to inclose the finger of the machine when inuse. Fig. 6 is a sectionalview showing the action of the fingers withrespects to the cows tea-ts. Fig. 7 shows in detail the construction andarrangement of the eccentrics which actuate the fingers, and .relatedmechanism. Fig. 8 shows a milk receptacle to which the milking machinema be attached andmeans for applying a mo erate suction. Fig. 9 1s asection of the. air-tight outlet. of this receptacle. Fig. 10 shows themanner of attaching the suction cups to the receptacle. Fig. 11 is asectional view, showing means for suspending the milking machine fromthe cows back.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a skeletonframecarrying the various workintg parts hereafter'to be, described. -On asha t the top and bottom curved portions of this frame is mounted agroup (in this case of -a mans fin ers.

2mounted between four) finger-levers 3, to the rearward ends of whichare pivoted broad fingers 4, near the middle of said fingers. In orderto give the desired lay to the fingers, and at the same time a unit of avertically central pivoting of the levers, the fin ers are forkedforwardly, as shown. The orward ends of the levers connect bylinks dwithas many hearings in the frame. It will be noted that these eccentricsare set at different angles on the shaft, and progressively from top tobottom, or vice versa. The effect of this is, of course, to move thefingers in either direction in a a suitable distance from the centralgroup of fingers, each side, is an outer also centrally pivoted tolevers 9, which connect with the middle levers at 10 by links 11. Theforward ends of these levers are pivoted to shafts 12 attached tofulcrums 13 mounted on guide-shafts 14 secured to the frame by nuts 15(Fig. 3). Connected with each fulcrum is a llnk 16 in the nature of ateeshaped stirrup the single, inner end of which is plvoted at 1 to aslide 18, slotted-at 19 to straddle the shaft 2, and adapted to be movedback and forth by a lever 20 having a pawl 21 engaging a notched sector22. The purpose of t is slide, as will be evident is to move the outergrou of fingers inwardly or outwardly with i spect to the middlefingers, as is necessary in a plying the machine to a cows teats and austing it to the proper 'ressure thereon. This pressure is rendereelastic by ivoting the lever 20 through a slot 23 in tl fe stem of theslide 18, and outside of .the end of the lever providing a slip collar24, with a. spring 25 to force it against said lever by means ofathumbscrew 26 on the threaded end of said stem.

It will be evident that the construction is teat from the udderdownwardly in a regular succession, thus forcing the milk down and outby an action very similar to that of This action is clearly illustratedin Fig. 6, the fingers at the right takin the milking position, whilethose at the left are open to perimt the teat to fill. These in turnassume the milking position, when those at the right will in the same'manner open to the right teats to fill. It is to be understood thateach group of fingers embraces'two teats, a front and a back teat,

and that the machine when in use is placed Patented June 15, 1909.

eccentrics 6 on a-shaft 7 mounted in suitable group suchthat the fingersare made toclose on the progressive or successive order. At

tofore mentioned.

under the cows udder and belly, with fingersextending toward the rear,as shown in Fig. 1.

For the sake of cleanliness chiefly, the working parts of the machineare incloscd in a case 27, suitably attached to the main frame. For thesame reason, and also to cushion the fingers, a rubber glove 28 isprovided, having a finger for each group of fingers, and with a wristadapted to strip over the back edge of the case, which ,is provided witha bead 29 to hold the glove in position.

In order that the machine may be applied to a cow's teats as easily andquickly as possible it is desirable that the fingers be brought intopractical alinement. This in the case of fixed eccentrics would beimpossible. Accordingly the eccentrics, except one, are mounted looselyon their shaft. The

fixed eccentric is here shown as an integral part of a bevel gear 30made fast to the shaft, and meshing a small pinion 31 on a diagonalshaft 32, to which motion is supposed to be transmitted in some suitableway, as by the familiar flexible shaft, A. Extending from the inner faceof the bevel gear is a stud 33, and a similar stud projects from eacheccentric. These studs are so set that when the shaft and gear areturning in the working, direction the eccentrics take the varyingpositions on the shaft here- But when not in use the operator, by, meansof a rose-wheel 34:.att-ached to the shaft, may turn it back in theopposite: direction, when all the eccentrics are brought nearly intoalinement as regards their longer radii, and correspondingly the fingersare brought into similar alinement.

To obtain the best results a little suction should accompany the actionof the fingers. This closely simulates the work of a calfs mouth,probably the best of all milkers, as regards the well being of the cow.it-h this in view I provide a milk rece )tacle 35, having a nozzle 36which may be iern'letically closed; Near the back end of this vessel,attached to suitable nipples 37, are set rubber teat-cups 38 suitablysupported at the upper ends, as by wire rings 39 with depending stemsattached to the vessel. These cups receive the teats, which are drawninto air-tight connection with them when suction is applied to theinterior of the milk receptacle. This may be done by any suitablepumping or exhausting mechanism (not shown), through a hose 40 attachedto a nipple 41. The milking machine rests on top of this receptacle,connected therewith asby a tee- 42 fitting a corresponding channel 43 inthe receptacle. When in operative position the fingers embrace the cupsin the same manner as they are shown embracing the teats in Figs. 1 and6.

A simple support for the machine is shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 11. Theouter side of the milk receptacle is provided with a square boss 44.,and fitting this is a hook 45 forming the lower :end of asupportingdevice hanging from the oows back. This comprises a forkedbracket 46 having depending, forked and padded feet-47 to straddle thecows backbone. From the bracket depends a tubular stem 47 terminating ina cap 18 having a square hole, to prevent the hook-stem, which passesthrough it, from turning. At the upper end of the hookstem is a roundhead 49 fitting the inside of the tube, and between this head and thelower cap is av compression spring 50, strong enough to support thewhole milking mechanism, and hold it firmly in position. ,The apparatusmay be placed in position very quickly, as the operator has only to hangthe bracket. on the cows back, and then with one-hand draw down thehook, and with the other hang the milking machine thereon. So suspendedit is now easy to place the teats in proper position with respect to themachine, so that little time is consumed in making ready for the machineto do its work.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a milking machine, the combination of independent fingers arrangedin groups, each opposing group being adapted to embrace two teats, andmechanism adapted to impart to said fingers separately a progressivelyinward movement from top to bottom of the group.

2. In a milking machine, the combination of independent fingers arrangedin groups, each pair of opposing groups being adapted to embrace twoteats, levers yieldingly connected separately with said fingers, andmechanism adapted to impart to said levers a compressing movementprogressively from top to bottom of the groups.

3. In a milking machine, the combination of independent fingers arrangedin groups,

pressing inward movement on the teats, proceeding from top to bottom ofthe groups.

5. In a milking machine, the combination of groups of independentfingers, each pair of groups being adapted to embrace a lurality ofteats, and mechanism adapte to separately impart to said fingersreciprocating movement, proceeding successively from top to bottom ofeach group, whereby the fingers close on the teats in regular successionfrom the udder downwardly to expel the milk, and open in the same orderto permit the teats to fill again.

I3. I11 a milking machine. the combination of groups of independentfingers arranged substantially as described, levers pivoted separatelyto said fingers at their practical centers, a rotating shaft providedwith a series of eccentrics, or the like, set at progressively differingangles of thrust, and links connecting/said eccentrics with said levers.

T. In a milking machine, the combination of independent tinge-rsconstructed and arranged substantially as described, levers pivotallyconnecting separately with said fingers, a rotating shaft provided witha series of eccentrics or the'likc set at different angles of thrust,links connecting said eccentrics with the middle group of levers, linksconnecting the outer groups of levers with the middle levers, andadjustable fulcrums for the outer levers, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

8. In a milking machine, the combination of independent. fingersconstructed and arranged substantially as described, levers pivotallyconnecting separately with said fingers, actuating mechanism adapted toreciprocate the middle group of l'evers, links con-s.

necting the outer groups with the middle group, sliding fulcrums forsaid outer groups, and an adjustable connection with each set offulcrums, whereby they may be simultaneously moved inwardly or outwardlyto shift the outer groups of fingers.

9. In a milking machine, the combination of groups of independentfingers constructed and arranged substantially as described, leverspivoted separately thereto, mechanism to impart reciprocating movementlinked to the middlegroup of levers, links connecting said middle leverswith the outer levers, and

yieldinglv adjustable fulcrums for said outer I levers, substantially asset forth.

10. In a milking machme, the combination of fingers levers and links,substantially as described, a rotating snaft, a series of eccentricsmounted on said shaft and engaging said links, all but one oftheeccentrics being loose on the shaft, and mutually engaging studs projecting from said eccentrics, whereby they take differing angles ofthrust when in operative position, and may be brought into practicalalinement by turning the shaft backwardly.

11. In a milking machine, the combination of milking fingers andactuating mechanism, substantially as described, an inclosing case forall but the fingers, and an elastic glove to cover all the fingers andconnect With said case.

12. In a milking machine and in combination with the milking mechanism,a support,

able cap at its lower end, a hook or the like passing through said cap,and having a headed stemsliding in the tube, and a com pression springinterposed between said head and cap. E

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER F. KLEIN.

Witnesses J. M. ST. JOHN, E, E. Ro'rHRooK.

